Stockholm canal and bridge tours

Which canal tours run in Stockholm?

Six main tours: City Highlights under the bridges, the Royal Djurgården tour, the City Centre Canal Cruise, the open electric boat, the classic wooden boat and the amphibious Ocean Bus. In summer, the hop-on hop-off boat adds a loop of eight stops.

All of them leave from the same stretch of water in the centre: Strömkajen in front of the Grand Hôtel, Skeppsbron below the Royal Palace, and Strömgatan by the Opera. The short tours head east through the Djurgården canal. Only City Highlights goes west through Hammarby lock onto Lake Mälaren. The table sets out the differences, and the sections below explain each tour.

Seasons differ. City Highlights runs from March to December, the Royal Djurgården tour until late December, the Ocean Bus mainly from April to September and the hop-on hop-off boat only in summer, so check the season before you go. The homepage list of tours has the current ratings.

What is the Under the Bridges of Stockholm tour?

Strömma's long city loop, now sold as City Highlights: 2 hours 15 minutes from Strömkajen, under 12 bridges and through Hammarby lock, round Södermalm between the Baltic and Lake Mälaren.

City Highlights Under the Bridges (4.2 from 3,010 reviews) is the one tour that shows both waters of Stockholm. On the way you see the inner city and Gamla Stan, the cliffs of Södermalm, Lilla and Stora Essingen out on Lake Mälaren, the modern district of Hammarby Sjöstad and the green shores of Djurgården. Named bridges include Skeppsbron, Skanstullsbron and Essingeleden, which carries Sweden's busiest road. A live guide speaks English, and reviewers mention commentary in other languages through headphones. There is a café and bar on board.

It runs from March to December, which makes it one of the few city tours you can still take in late autumn. The boat can be full, even on a weekday, so arrive early for a window or outdoor seat. Older listings call it Under the Bridges of Stockholm; it is the same route.

How many locks does the bridge tour pass?

One: Hammarby lock. The old Karl Johan lock at Slussen closed in November 2015 when Slussen was rebuilt, and its replacement is due to open to boats in 2027, so pages that mention two locks are out of date.

Lake Mälaren lies about 70 cm higher than the Baltic in the city, which is why boats need a lock to pass between them. Hammarby lock, near Skansbron on the south side of Södermalm, is 115 m long and 17.4 m wide, and it is now the only lock in the city between Saltsjön and Lake Mälaren. The gates close behind the boat and the water level changes until it matches the other side. Reviewers often name it as a highlight of the trip.

At Slussen, between Gamla Stan and Södermalm, the Karl Johan lock closed on 1 November 2015. Ports of Stockholm calls the new lock Victoriaslussen, and it is expected to open for boat traffic in 2027. Until then, the bridge tour takes the Hammarby route round Södermalm. Details of the lock are on the Ports of Stockholm page.

What is the Royal Canal (Djurgården canal)?

Djurgårdsbrunnskanalen, a green canal about 1 km long that separates Djurgården from the northern mainland. King Karl XIV Johan decided on it in 1825, it was finished in 1834, and today it lies in the Royal National City Park.

The canal runs from Lilla Värtan to Djurgårdsbrunnsviken and takes vessels up to 9.5 m wide, so the sightseeing boats glide through between the trees at a gentle pace. Djurgården is part of the Royal National City Park, founded in 1995, and the banks are parkland, villas and footpaths. It is the quiet heart of most short tours, and the archipelago cruises use it on their way out to sea.

The Royal Djurgården canal boat tour (4.1 from 704 reviews) is Strömma's loop round Djurgården from Strömkajen with a live English guide, and it runs until late December. The captain chooses between two routes depending on the water level in the canal. The City Centre Canal Cruise (4.1 from 1,272) leaves Skeppsbron for an hour along Strandvägen and the embassy district, through the canal and back by the main shipping lane, with an audio guide in 14 languages. The classic wooden boat tour (4.7 from 851) also passes through the canal on its way to Fjäderholmen.

How long is a canal tour in Stockholm?

Between 50 minutes and 2 hours 15 minutes. The Djurgården loops take 50 minutes to an hour, the wooden boat 1 hour 45 minutes and City Highlights 2 hours 15 minutes.

• 50 minutes: the open electric boat. The Royal Djurgården tour takes 50 minutes to an hour.
• 1 hour: the City Centre Canal Cruise and the Ocean Bus.
• 1 hour 45 minutes: the classic wooden boat, which adds Fjäderholmen and the cliffs of Södermalm.
• 2 hours 15 minutes: City Highlights under the bridges and through Hammarby lock.
• As long as you like: the hop-on hop-off boat runs a loop of about 55 minutes in summer, and a 24-hour ticket lets you get on and off.

Allow a little extra time to find the quay. Strömkajen, Skeppsbron and Strömgatan are all a short walk from each other, across the water from the Royal Palace. The homepage section on meeting points shows where each boat leaves.

Which tour is best for a short visit?

The open electric boat if you want a live guide and fresh air in 50 minutes, the Ocean Bus if you want road and water in an hour, and the Royal Djurgården tour or the City Centre Canal Cruise if you want an indoor seat.

The open electric boat (4.8 from 728 reviews) is the highest rated of the short tours: quiet, close to the water, past the Royal Palace, the Vasa Museum, the Djurgården canal, Strandvägen and ABBA The Museum. Reviewers describe it as a calm start to Stockholm. The Ocean Bus (4.7 from 6,245) combines a drive through Östermalm with a splash into the water off Djurgården; it runs mainly from April to September. In colder weather, choose a boat with an enclosed saloon, such as the City Centre Canal Cruise. The Royal Djurgården tour runs until late December.

If you have only one day, take a short tour in the morning to get your bearings, then walk Gamla Stan in the afternoon. Stockholm in three days has a full plan with a boat each day.

An hour on the Ocean Bus from Strömgatan 3: Birger Jarlsgatan, the 1912 Olympic stadium and Östermalm by road, then into the water off Djurgården with a live guide. Rated 4.7 from 6,245 reviews.

★ 4.7 (6,245) · 1 hour · Full refund up to 24 h ahead

Explore the amphibious bus tour →

Is the hop-on hop-off boat worth it?

In summer, if you will use it as transport between museums. The boat loops round eight stops with an audio guide; for a guided look at the city, a single tour with a live guide shows you more.

The hop-on hop-off boat calls at the Royal Palace, Nybroplan, the Vasa Museum, Skeppsholmen, Djurgården (Allmänna gränd), Masthamnen, Fotografiska and Slussen, on a loop of about 55 minutes. It runs in summer, roughly late May to mid-September; Strömma lists its 2027 season from late May to mid-September. The 24-hour hop-on hop-off ticket (3.9 from 4,433 reviews) lets you choose the boat, the bus or both. Its score is the lowest of the tours on this site, so book it for convenience rather than commentary.

Outside summer, or if you only want to reach Djurgården, take the Djurgården ferry, line 82, from Slussen via Skeppsholmen to Allmänna gränd by Gröna Lund. It runs all year, and the regular SL ticket covers it. Ferries and tickets explains how it works.

Can you paddle the canals yourself?

Yes, in the warmer months. Sjöcaféet by Djurgårdsbron rents kayaks, Canadian canoes and pedal boats for the Royal National City Park, and Långholmen Kajak rents kayaks on the Lake Mälaren side.

Paddling the Djurgården canal is a lovely way to see the green side of the city at your own pace. Stay near the bank, give the sightseeing boats and ferries plenty of room, and check the opening season before you go, because rentals are seasonal. Sweden's right of public access, allemansrätten, also applies on the water, so you can land and rest on shores away from private homes. Opening times for Djurgården are on the Sjöcaféet page. For the Mälaren side, see Långholmen Kajak.

For the archipelago instead, the archipelago kayak tour with a picnic (4.9 from 287 reviews) starts near Vaxholm at Skärgårdens Kanotcenter, takes 4 to 8 hours and needs no experience; reviewers reached it by public transport. You do not need a licence to drive a small rental motor boat in Sweden; the rules are in day trips by boat.

Frequently asked questions